📝 Midseason report: Every team from every angle

07.11.2025, 14:40 espn.com

Nine weeks of the 2025 NFL season have passed. Some teams are riding high, while others are grasping for wins.

Much of what we believed we knew when it all began in September has been validated -- but lots of surprises, and injuries, have changed the course of our early season predictions.

The quarterback carousel spins in Arizona, New Orleans and San Francisco with injuries forcing backups to step up while Jaxson Dart has impressed as a rookie QB in New York. The NFC West is one of the strongest divisions halfway through the season and the New England Patriots are making a push for the AFC East title over the Buffalo Bills. The descent of the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans is indisputable. Jackson Smith-Njigba is seemingly unstoppable.

With that in mind, ESPN's 32 NFL team reporters took part in a midseason reset. Here they lay out what they've learned through the first nine games and frame what's to come over the final nine weeks and beyond. Teams are ranked below by where each stands in the ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) rankings, and each club's current odds to win the division are also included as well as Eric Moody contributing non-QB fantasy football nuggets.

Jump to a team:ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CINCLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | INDJAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MINNE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SFSEA | TB | TEN | WSH

FPI rank: 1Chances to make the playoffs: 75.5%Chances to win their division: 27.2%

First-half storyline: The Chiefs have a more potent offense surrounding quarterback Patrick Mahomes this season than they had a year ago and their defense, led by pass rusher Chris Jones, is still serviceable. But unlike last year, all four of the Chiefs' losses have come in one-score games. That's concerning for a team that is on the outside of the AFC playoff picture.

Stephen A. Smith makes his case for why Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are still going to make the playoffs after a slow start.

QB stat to know: Mahomes needs rhythm. Before falling to the Bills, Mahomes averaged a 2.61-second time to throw, the quickest among qualified quarterbacks. That rhythm led to him producing 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. But the Bills forced Mahomes to hold onto the ball, leading to his longest time to throw in a game over the past two seasons at 3.37 seconds. That's one reason why Mahomes had his worst performance of the season.

Second-half storyline: Can Jones elevate his play to superstar level again? At age 31, Jones hasn't been as dominant as in previous years. The Chiefs didn't make a move at the deadline to improve their pass rush around Jones, either. Once again, Jones will have to carry the burden for lifting Steve Spagnuolo's unit. Entering their bye week, the Chiefs have recorded just 20 sacks and nine takeaways. -- Nate Taylor

Fantasy nugget: RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are positioned for success throughout the rest of the season, as the Chiefs have the 11th-easiest remaining schedule for fantasy running backs and one of the league's most productive offenses. Kansas City ranks sixth in total yards and ninth in points per game. -- Moody

FPI rank: 2Chances to make the playoffs: 88.0%Chances to win their division: 38.5%

First-half storyline: The Rams look like a team capable of a deep playoff run. The Rams have shown this season that they can depend on both sides of the ball to win games. The offense is led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is playing himself into the MVP conversation in his 17th season. The Rams' defense has allowed 20 points combined in its past three games.

QB stat to know: According to ESPN Research, on Sunday, Stafford joined Tom Brady (2007, 2015), Patrick Mahomes (2020) and Aaron Rodgers (2020) as the only quarterbacks with at least 20 touchdown passes and no more than two interceptions in their team's first eight games.

Second-half storyline: Can the Rams fix their special teams struggles before a potential playoff run? Although their kicking operation did not cost them the game in Week 9, head coach Sean McVay said it has in games already this season and it will again if they do not make changes. "This is not sustainable to continuously go where we want to go," McVay said. -- Sarah Barshop

Fantasy nugget: RB Kyren Williams has scored 10 or more fantasy points in seven of eight games this season, including four with 16 or more. He has averaged 19 touches behind a Rams offensive line that ranks seventh in run block win rate. Los Angeles also has the 14th-easiest remaining schedule for fantasy running backs, so Williams should continue to thrive. -- Moody

FPI rank: 3Chances to make the playoffs: 93.6%Chances to win their division: 79.4%

First-half storyline: The Colts have the No. 1 offense in the NFL, something that even the most optimistic fan was unlikely to have predicted. They have been on a historic offensive tear, averaging 3.46 points per drive through Week 8, the second most by any team through its first eight weeks since 1978, according to ESPN Research. Only the 2007 New England Patriots, who went 16-0 in the regular season, surpassed that mark. The offensive strategy of coach Shane Steichen has been a big part of the fast start as he has finally achieved some quarterback stability with veteran Daniel Jones at the controls.

QB stat to know: Jones has been brilliant this season after six up-and-down years with the New York Giants. Entering Week 9, he had posted four straight games with at least 200 yards and two passing touchdowns, the longest such stretch of his career. Of particular note is Jones' ability to thrive when under pressure. While the Colts boast one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, Jones has still been unflappable at those times when he is pressured. His 55.7% completion rate when under pressure is the second best in the NFL through eight weeks.

Second-half storyline: Can Sauce Gardner help transform the defense? The Colts stunned the league on Tuesday by shipping two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets for the two-time All-Pro cornerback. His arrival combined with the expected return of starting cornerback Charvarius Ward in the coming weeks could give the Colts one of the NFL's elite defensive backfields. With slot cornerback Kenny Moore II roaming the middle of the field and with offseason $60 million signing Cam Bynum at free safety, the Colts have invested a boatload of cash into the unit. Will it pay off? -- Stephen Holder

Fantasy nugget: Even though RB Jonathan Taylor is coming off a game in which he scored a season-low 7.7 fantasy points against the Steelers -- after posting 23 or more in each of the four previous games -- it's important for managers to note that the Colts' upcoming schedule gets much tougher. Still, Indianapolis' offensive line ranks third in run block win rate, and Taylor is talented enough to remain productive in difficult matchups. -- Moody

FPI rank: 4Chances to make the playoffs: 95.6%Chances to win their division: 60.7%

First-half storyline: The Bills have meandered through some rough patches -- especially during the two-game losing streak going into the bye week but managed to come out of it with a 6-2 record and have kept pace with the AFC. The offense is working toward finding a passing game to balance with the rushing attack, while defensive injuries piled up.

Stephen A. Smith says he isn't taking too much from the Bills' win over the Chiefs in the regular season.

QB stat to know: Josh Allen has 281 career passing and rushing touchdowns, the most in a player's first 120 regular-season games in NFL history, passing Patrick Mahomes (280, 120th game in Week 8). Against the Chiefs in Week 9, Allen had the best completion percentage in Bills history (88.5%), while impacting record books on the ground with two more rushing touchdowns.

Second-half storyline: Can the Bills get the No. 1 seed in the AFC? Despite the injuries and questions, the win over the Chiefs is a reminder of what this team is capable of along with Allen always giving it a chance. First up is beating the Patriots to the AFC East title, but the looming target remains the top seed. -- Alaina Getzenberg

Fantasy nugget: TE Dalton Kincaid finished with a season-high 22.1 fantasy points in Week 9 against the Chiefs. Even though he's splitting snaps, routes and targets with three other options in Buffalo's tight end committee, Kincaid has averaged 4.7 targets and 13.2 fantasy points. The Bills also have the 13th-easiest remaining schedule for fantasy tight ends. -- Moody

FPI rank: 5Chances to make the playoffs: 70.0%Chances to win their division: 36.4%

First-half storyline: At 5-2 entering the bye week, the Lions were undefeated at home (3-0), winning each game at Ford Field by 15 or more points, but head coach Dan Campbell still believed they weren't playing their "best ball yet collectively in all three phases," as they continued to adjust to first-year offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.

QB stat to know: Lions QB Jared Goff is the third quarterback in NFL history to accumulate at least 17 touchdown passes, a 73.0% completion percentage and a passer rating of 115.0 through the first eight games, joining Drew Brees (2018) and Tom Brady (2007). Goff has also thrown a touchdown in 14 consecutive games and for the 15th straight game against divisional opponents following Sunday's loss to Minnesota.

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Second-half storyline: Campbell and the Lions are eyeing a tough November stretch where he expects things to start shaking out within the division with tough games at Washington, Philadelphia and Green Bay so they can really see what they're made of. "You're going to start seeing the risers and fallers, and a lot of these teams are playing each other," Campbell said. "We're one of them." -- Eric Woo